The recent outbreak of measles in Bangladesh and the child deaths have shaken the nation's conscience. Even as Bangladesh had shown success in effectively controlling preventable diseases like measles through its immunisation programmes, the loss of several hundred children's lives in recent months is not just a health crisis but a stark reflection of state failure.

Since Maurice Hilleman developed the measles vaccine in the 1960s, global child mortality rates have dramatically decreased. The most effective way to combat highly contagious diseases like measles is to establish ''herd immunity'' by ensuring high vaccination rates within a specific population group. This means that once a certain percentage of the population is vaccinated, a protective barrier is created for society at large, preventing the spread of infection. However, if this protective barrier breaks, the situation can turn dire. That is the reality we face in Bangladesh today.

Disruptions in regular vaccinations for children, delays in vaccine supply, and policy shortsightedness have contributed to a man-made crisis, as discussed in the media over the past several weeks. Meanwhile, news of new child deaths reaches us almost daily, and the corridors of hospitals echo with the cries of grieving family members.